Twenty-Odd Ducks: Why, every punctuation mark counts!
by Lynne Truss
Illustrated by Bonnie Timmons
Published in 2008 by Putnam Juvenile
Ages 4-8
Lynne Truss is the author of the adult punctuation book Eats, Shoots, and Leaves, and has branched out into children's books that help explain punctuation to children in a fun way. Her two previous books for children, The Girls Like Spaghetti and Eats, Shoots, and Leaves, focused on apostrophes and commas. This one covers many different punctuation marks. She begins the book by explaining why punctuation marks are so important and how their placement, or lack thereof, can entirely change the meaning of a sentence. The meat of the book is a series of contrasting pictures and sentences, each punctuated and illustrated differently to show how quickly a meaning can change with just the modification of one punctuation mark. The illustrations and sentences are both funny and cute. The end of the book goes through each page and explains what the role of the punctuation marks in the sentence is and why it changes depending on its placement. Older students will be able to figure this out themselves as they compare the sentences and pictures, but younger children would most likely need the explanation. This is a very different kind of informational book because it is about a topic rarely written about for young children and because it goes about informing with very little text. A picture goes a long way in this book. It would be a great read aloud supplement to a grammar unit.
Remember: The Journey to School Integration
by Toni Morrison
Published by Hougton-Mifflin in 2004
Grades 3- 8
Toni Morrison's Remember: The Journey to School Integration is a gripping informational photographic essay that combines historical background/narrative, actual archival photographs, and a little bit of creativity on the author's part to create a book that will teach, move, and fascinate readers. Morrison has collected amazing photographs from pre-integration to post-integration to tell her story, and they really are the heart and soul of the book. Some of them are quite famous, others are unfamiliar and, at times, shocking. The narrative that accompanies the photographs is factual, accurate, and measured. The piece that makes this informational book a little different is that she uses her imagination to create captions of what the people, mostly the children, in the photographs might be thinking. This technique makes it clear that her captions are not fact (this is pretty clear) while helping students try to understand what the two sides of the story from a child's point of view might have been at this time. For example, one picture has two girls looking at each other--one is White, and the other is African American. The White girl is wondering if the African American girl might hate her. Certainly, the reader may not always agree with what Morrison chooses to caption each photograph, and sometimes she seems to give some situations or people in pictures the benefit of the doubt but at the very least she is showing and teaching compassion and the attempt to understand people and why they behave the way they do. Overall, this is a truly unique way of presenting the history of this time period. It is directed towards and will appeal to children, straight from the introduction and throughout the text, photos, and captions.
Building Big by David Macaulay
Published by Sandpiper, 2004
Grades 5 and up
David Macaulay is an author and illustrator with a great attention for detail and a love of architecture. In this informational book, he explores the construction of very large structures like the Holland Tunnel and the Big Dig. The book is organized by types of structures, such as "Dams", "Tunnels", and "Bridges" with several famous projects in each section. Each project is accompanied by a narrative telling the history of the structure, materials used, and interesting facts and trivia as well as detailed and fascinating pictures. Macaulay has a way of drawing that makes it completely possible for readers to learn just as much from the pictures as they might learn from the text. He chooses to draw several different components of each project, perhaps choosing just a piece to focus on, such as a coffer dam or the anatomy of a suspension bridge. Future engineers and architects will be drawn to the meticulous illustrations and fact buffs will enjoy the trivia and history.
Elizabeth's Picks
The Dangerous Book For Boys. Iggulden, Conn and Hal Iggulden. New York: Harper Collins. 2007.
Grades 2 and up.
With a title done in old fashioned typeface and instructions on how to do everything from tying a knot to the rules for playing table football (including how to make the ball!), this book brings to mind a cub scout handbook with a dose of culture thrown in. It reads like a guide to everything you need to be a boy. I didn’t think it would be popular with young boys raised on video games, but it has been incredibly popular. Boys are drawn to the title, the color of the book (big and red with gold lettering) and the contents. Practical and whimsical at the same time.
A Seed is Sleepy. Aston, Diana Hutts. Illustrated by Sylvia Long. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. 2007.
Grades 1 and up.
This large picture book is filled with fascinating facts about the different kinds of seeds and how they manage to perpetuate their mother plants by flying, sticking, and dropping into the right environments. The book also has a wonderful story about the oldest seed ever found that was able to germinate. But what makes this book so wonderful are the illustrations and text. The thought of a seed as a sleepy thing waiting for the right time to wake up and be is beautifully illustrated in clear, colorful drawings that do not detract or overwhelm.
The Feelings Book: The Care and Keeping of Your Emotions. Madison, Dr. Lynda. Middleton, WI: American Girl Publishing, Inc. 2002.
Grades 2 and up.
This book covers basic emotions felt by all people in language that is clear and understandable for young readers. It describes both the mental and physical aspects of different emotions e.g., when you get angry your face may get hot and you may find your hands turning to fists. For children who are not naturally in touch with their emotions, or who may have trouble sorting them out, this books provides both the language and definitions they need to better understand live with the emotions we all feel.
Mia R's Picks
Stockland, Patricia M. Red Eyes or Blue Feathers: A book about animal colors. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Picture Window Books, 2005. Grade Level: K-3
This brightly illustrated book explains about color adaptations and how they help animals to survive. Todd Ouren’s illustrations are simply drawn but very colorful which will appeal to young children. The adaptation is clearly explained and there is a more detailed fact included for each animal such as the polar bear’s fur is transparent not white. At the end of the book there is a quiz, fun facts and glossary. There is an index and a bibliography indicating where students can find out more information. I like this book because it is an appealing way of introducing students to color adaptation in nature.
Lin, Grace. Our Seasons. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2006. Grade Level: K-3 This book explains simply why there are seasons and who has them. For each season there are questions and answers such as “Why do leave change color? and “Why do bees like flowers?” The color panel on the side of each double-page spread changes with each season helping students to move to the next season. Lin’s illustrations show children from different ethnic backgrounds. What sets this book apart and why it appealed to me is the haiku which is paired with each question.
Cassino, Mark. The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2009. Grade Level: 2-4 Jon Nelson, a physicist, worked with Mark Cassino, a natural history photographer to create this book. It explains, with clear diagrams how snow is formed. It describes how star, plate and column snow crystals form accompanied by stunning photographs. At the end there are suggestions on how to catch and study snow crystals. It is the photographs that caught my attention with this book. Although the magnification is not given, several times throughout the book there is a “dot” indicating the actual size of the snow crystal.
Momatiuk, Yva and John Eastcott. Face to Face With Penguins. Washington: National Geographic, 2009. Grade Level: 3-6
This book tells of the authors’ encounters with various species of penguin. The magnificent photographs have clear captions explaining each picture. There are some sidebars which give additional penguin information such as “What’s the scoop on penguin poop?” There are suggestions on how to help protect their habitat and facts about penguins including a map show where penguins can be found. There is a glossary, an index and list of books, films and web sites for further information
Britt's Picks
Young, Jay. The Amazing Fact Machine. Big Fish, 2000. Grade Level 3-6.
A completely unique reference book, The Amazing Fact Machine uses a magnetic insert to engage students in choosing a question, then “magically” selecting the answer simply by being placed in the book. There are multiple books in the series focusing on different topics like geology and dinosaurs. There is a flaw to the format of the book in that the magnetic hand should be more sturdy, but the book is so popular with students and so full of interesting facts about science and the world around us that it is really worth having available to students, even if it is for in library use only.
Davis, Kenneth C. Don’t Know Much About American History. New York: Harper Collins, 2003. Grade Level 5-8. Don’t Know Much About American History is one in a series of books written by Kenneth Davis. The author has a lively style and the book is written in an engaging question and answer format. The author does a good job of explaining complex historical issues in an age-appropriate way, making this book an ideal resource for teaching history at the upper elementary and middle school level. Because the questions are well-designed to peak young readers’ interests (“Were the Little Rock Nine and rock and roll band?”) this book may also be enjoyed simply for pleasure reading by some students. The author doesn’t shy away from controversial issues, either, giving teachers a good resource for teaching about such difficult subjects as Columbus Day and the September 11 attacks. The book includes brief biographies of famous Americans as well.
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Kids on Strike! New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. Grade Level 5-8.
Kids on Strike! is a nonfiction book that explores the lives of child laborers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries who worked for the betterment of all children. The book contains a large number of striking photographs of children working in textile mills, selling newspapers, and laboring in extreme conditions such as coal mining. Though many of the photos are heartbreaking, the book on the whole is inspiring and includes a timeline of child labor strikes and laws. Even readers too young to read all the text will be drawn in by the photos of children carrying signs that read “We want to go to school!” Kids on Strike! would make an excellent addition to any elementary or middle school library with multiple connections to immigration, civil rights, industry, and other topics.
Susan Shatford's Picks
Bishop, Nic. Spiders. New York, NY: Scholastic Nonfiction, 2007. Grade Levels: K-3
This Robert F. Seibert Honor Book is as colorful as the spiders that Nic Bishop has photographed. It is a wonderful close-up view of different types of spiders in their natural environments. Each interesting fact about a different spider is given over a two-page spread. The huntsman spider can sense the sound of a flying insect by the hairs on its legs while the wolf spider carries her young on her back for a few days. The author uses different type size and color to showcase the key sentence relating to that spider’s behavior. Nic Bishop has also used a similar colored paper behind the text to correspond to each spider. There is even a centerfold of a jumping spider shot before, during, and after the jump. At the end of the story, the reader will find some information on Nic’s spider searches, where to find more information about his work, an index, and a glossary of terms pertaining to spiders. This distinguished informational book is a great way to fascinate and inform young readers about spiders.
Hatkoff, Juliana, Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Dr. Gerald R. Uhlich. Knut: How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World. New York, NY: Scholastic, 2007.Grade Levels: 3-6
This is the true story of Knut, a little polar bear cub that was born in captivity in Berlin, Germany on December 5, 2006. Knut and his trainer Thomas were almost inseparable for the first few months of Knut’s life. Round the clock feedings, bath times, and all-around care has made their bond a very special one. Knut quickly developed a strong following around the world. At his first public viewing, there were almost 500 journalists there to see Knut in the two hours that he was available. It’s hard to imagine that a little polar bear, abandoned by its mother, was instead loved by the world. Knut has been a great reminder of the serious extinction threat that polar bears face from global warming. Scientists believe that if current conditions continue, polar bears may become extinct in our lifetime. The last few pages of the book offer some additional information on polar bears and six ways you can help stop global warming. This book has a lovable figure that provides the perfect face to the very real problem of global warming. I liked this book because it doesn’t preach but instead conveys a great story and several ways that each reader can help.
Jenkins, Steve. Almost Gone: the World's Rarest Animals. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2006. Grade Levels: K-3
From the cover, the reader will be captivated by the intense eyes of the Amur Leopard. Opening the front cover, the reader will find that this is the rarest of all the big cats with fewer than 40 left in the world. The introduction explains and gives examples of how all living things are connected. In addition to the animal’s name and predicted number of them living in the wild, there is an illustrated picture of the animal, where it is usually located, and a reason for its decrease in numbers. The last few pages tell of the Moa, Steller’s Sea Cow, Tasmanian Wolf, and the Guam Flying Fox that are gone forever. In order to leave the reader hopeful, the last two pages showcase four animals that have been saved from becoming extinct by human intervention. The back pages of the book provide a numbered world map which corresponds to the natural habitat of each animal in the book. The beautiful illustrations are cut-paper collages on mainly white backgrounds. Young readers will feel encouraged to want to make a difference in the lives of these animals.
Deborah's Picks!
Hatkoff, Isabella and Craig, Kahumbu, Dr. Paula. Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship. Scholastic, Inc.: NY, 2006, Gr.K-3.
Owen is a baby hippopotamus, orphaned during the December 2004 tsunami that hit his home in Southeast Asia. Mzee is an ancient 130 year old Aldabra tortoise who for years was a loner. What do these two have in common? At first thought, not too much. Yet this unlikely pair becomes the best of friends when the frightened Owen is brought to the Kenyan animal sanctuary, Haller Park, where the two creatures now live. At first sight, Mzee wanted nothing to do with the excited hippo that looked upon Mzee as his lost mother. But then an amazing thing happened. The orphan hippo and the elderly tortoise adapted and adopted each other. Now they don’t go anywhere without each other, swimming, eating, playing, and napping together. They have even developed their own language. This is an incredible story of friendship which is stronger than the differences between two creatures. Children can relate to this message as they meet and become friends with children from other backgrounds and recognize but respect their differences. The photos are touching scenes of the interaction of the two as they carry on with their daily routine. There are sequels that continue to follow the Owen and Mzee: The Language of Friendship, Best Friends, and A Day Together.
Larson, Kirby and Nethery, Mary. Nubs. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers: NY, 2009, Gr.K-3. There once was a homeless dog who was the leader of a pack of wild dogs living in Iraq and surviving off the land. In that same area was a Marine, Major Brian Dennis. The dog befriended Brian who began to nurture him by sharing meals and showing him kindness and affection that the dog had never experienced before. Brian named him Nubs, because of the fact that his ears had been cut off leaving “nubs”. Nubs became part of the camp until Brian’s team was relocated to the Jordanian border, 70 miles away. Nubs had to be left behind. So began this incredible story of courage and friendship as Nubs sets out on a journey to find the only friend he had ever known; a journey that took him through a freezing desert filled with danger in a war zone. Two days later, Nubs walked into the camp to the surprise of all. Marine regulations prohibit pets in a war zone which led Brian and his men to collect donations to send Nubs to the United States. Brian was eventually reunited with Nubs in 2008. This story is full of photos taken by members of Brian’s team and the narrative includes emails from Brian to his friends in San Diego to tell this amazing story. Some of the photo quality is hazy but this does not take away from this wonderful true story. Animal stories appeal to children of all ages. Children will learn the power of kindness and friendship that can overcome great obstacles.
National Geographic Kids, Weird but True! 2, National Geographic Children's Books: Des Moines, 2010, Gr.3-6. This is a follow-up to the first book of really weird but true facts that will delight and amaze readers of all ages. It’s a fun-filled collection of bold colored photos and hard to believe stories that go with them that will hold kids’ interest and encourage them to continue reading. There is a wide range of topics from foods to science and everything in between. Children will learn that basketball sized meteorites land on Earth about once a month, that the world’s oldest pet goldfish lived to be 43 years old, and many more fun facts. Even the most reluctant reader will be enticed by this collection.
Susan Allen's Picks
You Wouldn’t Want to be a Roman Gladiator…and other books in the Series By John Malam Series Creator: David Salariya Illustrated by David Antram Grolier Publishing, 2005 Grades 5-8
This series presents some of the darker periods of history in an informative and entertaining manner. There is a large range of topics including You Wouldn’t Want To: Live in Pompeii, Be Cleopatra, Be a Viking Explorer, Be a Roman Warrior, Be at the Boston Tea Party. The series covers virtually all time periods. The books look somewhat like graphic novels with engaging and humorous illustrations and are packed full of information, including charts, timelines and other graphic features. These books are a great way to supplement history lessons for all readers, including the reluctant reader.
Volcano! The Icelandic Eruption of 2010 and Other Hot, Smoky, Fierce, and Fiery Mountains By Judith and Denis Fradin National Geographic Kids, 2010 Grades 3-6
This book details information about the recent volcano eruption in Iceland, while including factual information about volcanoes. Many elementary students will remember the volcano of last spring so this book serves as a tie-in to recent events. It combines real time eye witness accounts of the Iceland volcano with general information on why volcanoes erupt.
One Million Things: A Visual Encyclopedia By Peter Chrisp DK, London, 2006 Grades 4-8 This book draws readers in by its amazing cover. Inside it has thousand of facts on a wide range of subjects. Although the word encyclopedia is in the tile it is not necessarily a resource to use for true research or fact finding. Topics are covered lightly and in an entertaining manner with great illustrations.
Tracy's Picks
Kelly, Irene.It’s a Butterfly’s Life.New York: Holiday House, 2007.Ages 4-9
It’s a Butterfly’s Lifenot only tells the story of a butterfly from egg to adult but also shares wonderful details about butterfly behavior and butterfly body parts. The book is full of information that appeals to children and increases their understanding such as, a butterfly can taste a cupcake by standing on it and five monarchs weigh as much as one penny. There are many wonderful illustrations of many different butterflies and many close-up illustrations of butterfly parts are provided for clarification. Through this book, the reader learns the many ways caterpillars outwit their predators (camouflage, calling on ants for help), and the techniques that butterflies use to survive (camouflage, bright colors, gigantic spots on their wings that look like eyes). Threats to the butterfly population are articulated and ways that the reader can attract more butterflies to his or her yard are shared. It’s a Butterfly’s Life is a marvelous way to learn about butterflies and hissing chrysalises.
Wells, Robert E.Why Do Elephants Need the Sun?.Illinois: Albert Whitman and Company, 2010.Ages 7-10
Wells describes in easy to understand language the important role the sun plays in the life of an elephant. The elephant depends on the sun for warmth, food, and water. By showing the elephant’s dependence on the sun, the important relationship that all living things have with the sun is revealed. Using wonderful pen and acrylic illustrations, Wells introduces higher level concepts such as photosynthesis, gravity, and nuclear fusion. The book also shows ways that people have used the sun to tell time, heat water, and generate electricity. Why Do Elephants Need the Sun? artfully describes the important role that the sun has in all life and introduces some advanced scientific topics in a kid-friendly manner.
Christelow, Eileen.Vote!.New York: Clarion Books, 2003. Ages 8-12 Christelow uses a fictitious mayoral election to describe the voting process from campaigning to ballot counting. Vote! tackles such topics as why people don’t vote, how who can vote is determined, registering to vote, political parties, debates, campaign funding, and when votes are recounted. All the important aspects of the election process, including defining what voting is, are handled through comical pen and ink and acrylic gouache illustrations. Some of the concepts are cleverly clarified using a comic-strip style. The book contains a timeline of voting rights that runs from the signing of the Declaration of Independence up to the Help America Vote Act of 2002. Vote! is an appealing and accessible description of the voting process.
Michelle's Picks:
Beaks!
By Sneed B. Collard III
Illustrated by Robin Brickman
Charlesbridge: Watertown, MA, 2002
Grades K-4
InformationalThis book explains why birds have beaks, and the different kinds of beaks there are. It has illustrations of a bird that has that particular kind of beak, and gives information about that bird. It also gives more information about other uses for beaks, and an example of that use. At the end of the book is a test to “Test your “beak-ability”. The last page recommends books and web sites for additional information, along with the answer to the test. The illustrations are colored cut-paper, with a three dimensional look to them.
The Solar System
By Howard K. Trammel
Children’s Press: 2010
Grades 3-5
Informational
This book gives up-to-date information (for today at least) of our solar system. It includes information about the sun, the planets, dwarf planets, meteoroids and asteroids, comets and exploring the solar system. There are plenty of colorful illustrations to sustain interest. There is a two page vertical spread on the birth of a star, with the Orion Nebula shown. There are additional resources for readers to explore further. It also states a new way to remember the planets - My Very Excellent Mom Just Served Us Noodles.
Math Fables
By Greg Tang
Illustrated by Heather Cahoon
Scholastic Press: New York, 2004
Grades PreK-1
Informational
This colorful illustrated book introduces students to basic addition (grouping) from one to ten with rhyming fables. The first fable called “Dinner Guest” is about a spider (one) waiting for a meal. The moral is “It’s nice to know that all good things will come to those who wait!”. The last fable “River Sticks” is about 10 beavers. Each fable (all with animals) shows the different grouping combinations. The last two page spread has practice challenges, one of which is to find all ten combinations that make 10.Lauren's pics:
Granfield, Linda. America Votes: how our president is elected. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2003.
Illustrator: Steve Bjorkman
Target audience: 4th-6th grade
America votes : how our president is elected
This book presents the electoral process in an easy to understand format and is supplemented by colorful, humorous pictures. The major themes are democracy and elections. Its reference aids include a table of contents, glossary and an index. I like how the book provides ways that kids can get involved in the electoral process and that the book includes pictures of men and women of all races running for office.
Kobasa, Paul A., ed. Economics. Chicago: World Book, 2009. Illustrator: Sandra M. Dyrlund (associate director of graphics and design) Target audience: 4th-6th grade
Economics
This book is part of the series, Inventions and Discoveries by World Book. I could not find a picture of the book by itself so I have included a picture of all of the books in the series. Economics is the book at the top right. This book presents the features and history of economics from ancient Babylonia to the globalization of the present day. The main theme is economics. Reference aids include a table of contents, glossary, index, and appendices of a timeline and a recommended reading list. The photographs and maps in this book were clearly labeled and helped to clarify difficult concepts, such as the feudal system. I really liked the fact boxes that contained information about famous economists, such as Adam Smith and Karl Marx. Bailey, Gerry, and Felicia Law. Cowries, Coins, Credit: the history of money. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2006.
Illustrators: Mike Phillips and Rosie Brooks
Target audience: 4th-6th grade
Cowries, Coins, Credit
This book presents the history of money from bartering to electronic transactions. The major theme is money. The author engages the reader by directly addressing the reader. The pictures include maps and charts with captions that clarify the text. I love how the book includes pictures of different coins, including in the glossary.
Heather's Picks:
Mayflower 1620: A New Look At A Pilgrim Voyage,Plimoth Plantation ; with Peter Arenstam, John Kemp, and Catherine O'Neill Grace ; photographs by Sisse Brimberg and Cotton Coulson.Washington: National Geographic, 2003. Gr 3-6 What sets this book apart from other books on the subject are the photographs taken aboard the Mayflower II, when the replica was sailed from Plymouth to Boston in 2001. The crew and passengers, including children, are dressed like they would have in 1620. They perform many of the tasks that the people on the original voyage would have, like navigating, tending the sick and signing the Mayflower Compact. The text is engaging and accessible without ever sounding condescending. The book also has a map, a list of provisions, a chronology, list of further reading and an Index. Very complete.
Raven, Margot Theis. M is for Mayflower: A Massachusetts Alphabet, illustrated by Jeannie Brett. Chelsea, MI: Sleeping Bear Press, 2002. Gr 2-6 This nonfiction history book is in the shape of an alphabet (concept) book. Each letter corresponds to a famous Massachusetts person or place -- K stand for JFK and Q is for the Quabbin Reservoir. Some letters are a bit of a stretch – U for unusual places. And the text next to a picture of the state capital on “B for Boston” never mentions Beacon Hill but does mention Bunker Hill, which might confuse people. But overall it's beautifully illustrated and informative. There is a “Fun Facts” quiz, a list of books, and an index.
Wilkinson, Philip. Building, photographed by Dave King and Geoff Dann. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2000. Gr 4- Adult! This book is a guide to the history, design and structure of buildings. The photos can't be beat! They are plentiful, detailed and gorgeous. You'll find everything from a Chinese roof adorned with “grotesque mythical animals” to detailed diagrams on how a timber- framed house is built. The book is structured by the type of structure (wooden houses, brick houses) and the parts of a structure (roofs, fireplaces, balconies). The text is full of great facts and makes building concepts easy to understand. The book can be read straight through, flipped through or used as a reference. Index.
Informational Book Annotations
Kailin's Picks
Twenty-Odd Ducks: Why, every punctuation mark counts!
by Lynne Truss
Illustrated by Bonnie Timmons
Published in 2008 by Putnam Juvenile
Ages 4-8
Lynne Truss is the author of the adult punctuation book Eats, Shoots, and Leaves, and has branched out into children's books that help explain punctuation to children in a fun way. Her two previous books for children, The Girls Like Spaghetti and Eats, Shoots, and Leaves, focused on apostrophes and commas. This one covers many different punctuation marks. She begins the book by explaining why punctuation marks are so important and how their placement, or lack thereof, can entirely change the meaning of a sentence. The meat of the book is a series of contrasting pictures and sentences, each punctuated and illustrated differently to show how quickly a meaning can change with just the modification of one punctuation mark. The illustrations and sentences are both funny and cute. The end of the book goes through each page and explains what the role of the punctuation marks in the sentence is and why it changes depending on its placement. Older students will be able to figure this out themselves as they compare the sentences and pictures, but younger children would most likely need the explanation. This is a very different kind of informational book because it is about a topic rarely written about for young children and because it goes about informing with very little text. A picture goes a long way in this book. It would be a great read aloud supplement to a grammar unit.
Remember: The Journey to School Integration
by Toni Morrison
Published by Hougton-Mifflin in 2004
Grades 3- 8
Toni Morrison's Remember: The Journey to School Integration is a gripping informational photographic essay that combines historical background/narrative, actual archival photographs, and a little bit of creativity on the author's part to create a book that will teach, move, and fascinate readers. Morrison has collected amazing photographs from pre-integration to post-integration to tell her story, and they really are the heart and soul of the book. Some of them are quite famous, others are unfamiliar and, at times, shocking. The narrative that accompanies the photographs is factual, accurate, and measured. The piece that makes this informational book a little different is that she uses her imagination to create captions of what the people, mostly the children, in the photographs might be thinking. This technique makes it clear that her captions are not fact (this is pretty clear) while helping students try to understand what the two sides of the story from a child's point of view might have been at this time. For example, one picture has two girls looking at each other--one is White, and the other is African American. The White girl is wondering if the African American girl might hate her. Certainly, the reader may not always agree with what Morrison chooses to caption each photograph, and sometimes she seems to give some situations or people in pictures the benefit of the doubt but at the very least she is showing and teaching compassion and the attempt to understand people and why they behave the way they do. Overall, this is a truly unique way of presenting the history of this time period. It is directed towards and will appeal to children, straight from the introduction and throughout the text, photos, and captions.
Published by Sandpiper, 2004
Grades 5 and up
David Macaulay is an author and illustrator with a great attention for detail and a love of architecture. In this informational book, he explores the construction of very large structures like the Holland Tunnel and the Big Dig. The book is organized by types of structures, such as "Dams", "Tunnels", and "Bridges" with several famous projects in each section. Each project is accompanied by a narrative telling the history of the structure, materials used, and interesting facts and trivia as well as detailed and fascinating pictures. Macaulay has a way of drawing that makes it completely possible for readers to learn just as much from the pictures as they might learn from the text. He chooses to draw several different components of each project, perhaps choosing just a piece to focus on, such as a coffer dam or the anatomy of a suspension bridge. Future engineers and architects will be drawn to the meticulous illustrations and fact buffs will enjoy the trivia and history.
Elizabeth's Picks
The Dangerous Book For Boys. Iggulden, Conn and Hal Iggulden. New York: Harper Collins. 2007.
Grades 2 and up.
With a title done in old fashioned typeface and instructions on how to do everything from tying a knot to the rules for playing table football (including how to make the ball!), this book brings to mind a cub scout handbook with a dose of culture thrown in. It reads like a guide to everything you need to be a boy. I didn’t think it would be popular with young boys raised on video games, but it has been incredibly popular. Boys are drawn to the title, the color of the book (big and red with gold lettering) and the contents. Practical and whimsical at the same time.
A Seed is Sleepy. Aston, Diana Hutts. Illustrated by Sylvia Long. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. 2007.
Grades 1 and up.
This large picture book is filled with fascinating facts about the different kinds of seeds and how they manage to perpetuate their mother plants by flying, sticking, and dropping into the right environments. The book also has a wonderful story about the oldest seed ever found that was able to germinate. But what makes this book so wonderful are the illustrations and text. The thought of a seed as a sleepy thing waiting for the right time to wake up and be is beautifully illustrated in clear, colorful drawings that do not detract or overwhelm.
The Feelings Book: The Care and Keeping of Your Emotions. Madison, Dr. Lynda. Middleton, WI: American Girl Publishing, Inc. 2002.
Grades 2 and up.
This book covers basic emotions felt by all people in language that is clear and understandable for young readers. It describes both the mental and physical aspects of different emotions e.g., when you get angry your face may get hot and you may find your hands turning to fists. For children who are not naturally in touch with their emotions, or who may have trouble sorting them out, this books provides both the language and definitions they need to better understand live with the emotions we all feel.
Mia R's Picks
Grade Level: K-3
This brightly illustrated book explains about color adaptations and how they help animals to survive. Todd Ouren’s illustrations are simply drawn but very colorful which will appeal to young children. The adaptation is clearly explained and there is a more detailed fact included for each animal such as the polar bear’s fur is transparent not white. At the end of the book there is a quiz, fun facts and glossary. There is an index and a bibliography indicating where students can find out more information. I like this book because it is an appealing way of introducing students to color adaptation in nature.
Grade Level: K-3
This book explains simply why there are seasons and who has them. For each season there are questions and answers such as “Why do leave change color? and “Why do bees like flowers?” The color panel on the side of each double-page spread changes with each season helping students to move to the next season. Lin’s illustrations show children from different ethnic backgrounds. What sets this book apart and why it appealed to me is the haiku which is paired with each question.
Grade Level: 2-4
Jon Nelson, a physicist, worked with Mark Cassino, a natural history photographer to create this book. It explains, with clear diagrams how snow is formed. It describes how star, plate and column snow crystals form accompanied by stunning photographs. At the end there are suggestions on how to catch and study snow crystals. It is the photographs that caught my attention with this book. Although the magnification is not given, several times throughout the book there is a “dot” indicating the actual size of the snow crystal.
Grade Level: 3-6
This book tells of the authors’ encounters with various species of penguin. The magnificent photographs have clear captions explaining each picture. There are some sidebars which give additional penguin information such as “What’s the scoop on penguin poop?” There are suggestions on how to help protect their habitat and facts about penguins including a map show where penguins can be found. There is a glossary, an index and list of books, films and web sites for further information
Britt's Picks
A completely unique reference book, The Amazing Fact Machine uses a magnetic insert to engage students in choosing a question, then “magically” selecting the answer simply by being placed in the book. There are multiple books in the series focusing on different topics like geology and dinosaurs. There is a flaw to the format of the book in that the magnetic hand should be more sturdy, but the book is so popular with students and so full of interesting facts about science and the world around us that it is really worth having available to students, even if it is for in library use only.
Davis, Kenneth C. Don’t Know Much About American History. New York: Harper Collins, 2003. Grade Level 5-8.
Don’t Know Much About American History is one in a series of books written by Kenneth Davis. The author has a lively style and the book is written in an engaging question and answer format. The author does a good job of explaining complex historical issues in an age-appropriate way, making this book an ideal resource for teaching history at the upper elementary and middle school level. Because the questions are well-designed to peak young readers’ interests (“Were the Little Rock Nine and rock and roll band?”) this book may also be enjoyed simply for pleasure reading by some students. The author doesn’t shy away from controversial issues, either, giving teachers a good resource for teaching about such difficult subjects as Columbus Day and the September 11 attacks. The book includes brief biographies of famous Americans as well.
Kids on Strike! is a nonfiction book that explores the lives of child laborers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries who worked for the betterment of all children. The book contains a large number of striking photographs of children working in textile mills, selling newspapers, and laboring in extreme conditions such as coal mining. Though many of the photos are heartbreaking, the book on the whole is inspiring and includes a timeline of child labor strikes and laws. Even readers too young to read all the text will be drawn in by the photos of children carrying signs that read “We want to go to school!” Kids on Strike! would make an excellent addition to any elementary or middle school library with multiple connections to immigration, civil rights, industry, and other topics.
Susan Shatford's Picks
Bishop, Nic. Spiders. New York, NY: Scholastic Nonfiction, 2007. Grade Levels: K-3
This Robert F. Seibert Honor Book is as colorful as the spiders that Nic Bishop has photographed. It is a wonderful close-up view of different types of spiders in their natural environments. Each interesting fact about a different spider is given over a two-page spread. The huntsman spider can sense the sound of a flying insect by the hairs on its legs while the wolf spider carries her young on her back for a few days. The author uses different type size and color to showcase the key sentence relating to that spider’s behavior. Nic Bishop has also used a similar colored paper behind the text to correspond to each spider. There is even a centerfold of a jumping spider shot before, during, and after the jump. At the end of the story, the reader will find some information on Nic’s spider searches, where to find more information about his work, an index, and a glossary of terms pertaining to spiders. This distinguished informational book is a great way to fascinate and inform young readers about spiders.
Hatkoff, Juliana, Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Dr. Gerald R. Uhlich. Knut: How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World. New York, NY: Scholastic, 2007. Grade Levels: 3-6
This is the true story of Knut, a little polar bear cub that was born in captivity in Berlin, Germany on December 5, 2006. Knut and his trainer Thomas were almost inseparable for the first few months of Knut’s life. Round the clock feedings, bath times, and all-around care has made their bond a very special one. Knut quickly developed a strong following around the world. At his first public viewing, there were almost 500 journalists there to see Knut in the two hours that he was available. It’s hard to imagine that a little polar bear, abandoned by its mother, was instead loved by the world. Knut has been a great reminder of the serious extinction threat that polar bears face from global warming. Scientists believe that if current conditions continue, polar bears may become extinct in our lifetime. The last few pages of the book offer some additional information on polar bears and six ways you can help stop global warming. This book has a lovable figure that provides the perfect face to the very real problem of global warming. I liked this book because it doesn’t preach but instead conveys a great story and several ways that each reader can help.
Jenkins, Steve. Almost Gone: the World's Rarest Animals. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2006. Grade Levels: K-3
From the cover, the reader will be captivated by the intense eyes of the Amur Leopard. Opening the front cover, the reader will find that this is the rarest of all the big cats with fewer than 40 left in the world. The introduction explains and gives examples of how all living things are connected. In addition to the animal’s name and predicted number of them living in the wild, there is an illustrated picture of the animal, where it is usually located, and a reason for its decrease in numbers. The last few pages tell of the Moa, Steller’s Sea Cow, Tasmanian Wolf, and the Guam Flying Fox that are gone forever. In order to leave the reader hopeful, the last two pages showcase four animals that have been saved from becoming extinct by human intervention. The back pages of the book provide a numbered world map which corresponds to the natural habitat of each animal in the book. The beautiful illustrations are cut-paper collages on mainly white backgrounds. Young readers will feel encouraged to want to make a difference in the lives of these animals.
Deborah's Picks!
Owen is a baby hippopotamus, orphaned during the December 2004 tsunami that hit his home in Southeast Asia. Mzee is an ancient 130 year old Aldabra tortoise who for years was a loner. What do these two have in common? At first thought, not too much. Yet this unlikely pair becomes the best of friends when the frightened Owen is brought to the Kenyan animal sanctuary, Haller Park, where the two creatures now live. At first sight, Mzee wanted nothing to do with the excited hippo that looked upon Mzee as his lost mother. But then an amazing thing happened. The orphan hippo and the elderly tortoise adapted and adopted each other. Now they don’t go anywhere without each other, swimming, eating, playing, and napping together. They have even developed their own language. This is an incredible story of friendship which is stronger than the differences between two creatures. Children can relate to this message as they meet and become friends with children from other backgrounds and recognize but respect their differences. The photos are touching scenes of the interaction of the two as they carry on with their daily routine. There are sequels that continue to follow the Owen and Mzee: The Language of Friendship, Best Friends, and A Day Together.
There once was a homeless dog who was the leader of a pack of wild dogs living in Iraq and surviving off the land. In that same area was a Marine, Major Brian Dennis. The dog befriended Brian who began to nurture him by sharing meals and showing him kindness and affection that the dog had never experienced before. Brian named him Nubs, because of the fact that his ears had been cut off leaving “nubs”. Nubs became part of the camp until Brian’s team was relocated to the Jordanian border, 70 miles away. Nubs had to be left behind. So began this incredible story of courage and friendship as Nubs sets out on a journey to find the only friend he had ever known; a journey that took him through a freezing desert filled with danger in a war zone. Two days later, Nubs walked into the camp to the surprise of all. Marine regulations prohibit pets in a war zone which led Brian and his men to collect donations to send Nubs to the United States. Brian was eventually reunited with Nubs in 2008. This story is full of photos taken by members of Brian’s team and the narrative includes emails from Brian to his friends in San Diego to tell this amazing story. Some of the photo quality is hazy but this does not take away from this wonderful true story. Animal stories appeal to children of all ages. Children will learn the power of kindness and friendship that can overcome great obstacles.
This is a follow-up to the first book of really weird but true facts that will delight and amaze readers of all ages. It’s a fun-filled collection of bold colored photos and hard to believe stories that go with them that will hold kids’ interest and encourage them to continue reading. There is a wide range of topics from foods to science and everything in between. Children will learn that basketball sized meteorites land on Earth about once a month, that the world’s oldest pet goldfish lived to be 43 years old, and many more fun facts. Even the most reluctant reader will be enticed by this collection.
Susan Allen's Picks
You Wouldn’t Want to be a Roman Gladiator…and other books in the Series
By John Malam
Series Creator: David Salariya
Illustrated by David Antram
Grolier Publishing, 2005
Grades 5-8
This series presents some of the darker periods of history in an informative and entertaining manner. There is a large range of topics including You Wouldn’t Want To: Live in Pompeii, Be Cleopatra, Be a Viking Explorer, Be a Roman Warrior, Be at the Boston Tea Party. The series covers virtually all time periods. The books look somewhat like graphic novels with engaging and humorous illustrations and are packed full of information, including charts, timelines and other graphic features. These books are a great way to supplement history lessons for all readers, including the reluctant reader.
Volcano! The Icelandic Eruption of 2010 and Other Hot, Smoky, Fierce, and Fiery Mountains
By Judith and Denis Fradin
National Geographic Kids, 2010
Grades 3-6
This book details information about the recent volcano eruption in Iceland, while including factual information about volcanoes. Many elementary students will remember the volcano of last spring so this book serves as a tie-in to recent events. It combines real time eye witness accounts of the Iceland volcano with general information on why volcanoes erupt.
One Million Things: A Visual Encyclopedia
By Peter Chrisp
DK, London, 2006
Grades 4-8
This book draws readers in by its amazing cover. Inside it has thousand of facts on a wide range of subjects. Although the word encyclopedia is in the tile it is not necessarily a resource to use for true research or fact finding. Topics are covered lightly and in an entertaining manner with great illustrations.
Tracy's Picks
It’s a Butterfly’s Life not only tells the story of a butterfly from egg to adult but also shares wonderful details about butterfly behavior and butterfly body parts. The book is full of information that appeals to children and increases their understanding such as, a butterfly can taste a cupcake by standing on it and five monarchs weigh as much as one penny. There are many wonderful illustrations of many different butterflies and many close-up illustrations of butterfly parts are provided for clarification. Through this book, the reader learns the many ways caterpillars outwit their predators (camouflage, calling on ants for help), and the techniques that butterflies use to survive (camouflage, bright colors, gigantic spots on their wings that look like eyes). Threats to the butterfly population are articulated and ways that the reader can attract more butterflies to his or her yard are shared. It’s a Butterfly’s Life is a marvelous way to learn about butterflies and hissing chrysalises.
Wells, Robert E. Why Do Elephants Need the Sun?. Illinois: Albert Whitman and Company, 2010.Ages 7-10
Wells describes in easy to understand language the important role the sun plays in the life of an elephant. The elephant depends on the sun for warmth, food, and water. By showing the elephant’s dependence on the sun, the important relationship that all living things have with the sun is revealed. Using wonderful pen and acrylic illustrations, Wells introduces higher level concepts such as photosynthesis, gravity, and nuclear fusion. The book also shows ways that people have used the sun to tell time, heat water, and generate electricity. Why Do Elephants Need the Sun? artfully describes the important role that the sun has in all life and introduces some advanced scientific topics in a kid-friendly manner.
Ages 8-12
Christelow uses a fictitious mayoral election to describe the voting process from campaigning to ballot counting. Vote! tackles such topics as why people don’t vote, how who can vote is determined, registering to vote, political parties, debates, campaign funding, and when votes are recounted. All the important aspects of the election process, including defining what voting is, are handled through comical pen and ink and acrylic gouache illustrations. Some of the concepts are cleverly clarified using a comic-strip style. The book contains a timeline of voting rights that runs from the signing of the Declaration of Independence up to the Help America Vote Act of 2002. Vote! is an appealing and accessible description of the voting process.
Michelle's Picks:
By Sneed B. Collard III
Illustrated by Robin Brickman
Charlesbridge: Watertown, MA, 2002
Grades K-4
InformationalThis book explains why birds have beaks, and the different kinds of beaks there are. It has illustrations of a bird that has that particular kind of beak, and gives information about that bird. It also gives more information about other uses for beaks, and an example of that use. At the end of the book is a test to “Test your “beak-ability”. The last page recommends books and web sites for additional information, along with the answer to the test. The illustrations are colored cut-paper, with a three dimensional look to them.
By Howard K. Trammel
Children’s Press: 2010
Grades 3-5
Informational
This book gives up-to-date information (for today at least) of our solar system. It includes information about the sun, the planets, dwarf planets, meteoroids and asteroids, comets and exploring the solar system. There are plenty of colorful illustrations to sustain interest. There is a two page vertical spread on the birth of a star, with the Orion Nebula shown. There are additional resources for readers to explore further. It also states a new way to remember the planets - My Very Excellent Mom Just Served Us Noodles.
By Greg Tang
Illustrated by Heather Cahoon
Scholastic Press: New York, 2004
Grades PreK-1
Informational
This colorful illustrated book introduces students to basic addition (grouping) from one to ten with rhyming fables. The first fable called “Dinner Guest” is about a spider (one) waiting for a meal. The moral is “It’s nice to know that all good things will come to those who wait!”. The last fable “River Sticks” is about 10 beavers. Each fable (all with animals) shows the different grouping combinations. The last two page spread has practice challenges, one of which is to find all ten combinations that make 10.Lauren's pics:
Granfield, Linda. America Votes: how our president is elected. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2003.
Illustrator: Steve Bjorkman
Target audience: 4th-6th grade
This book presents the electoral process in an easy to understand format and is supplemented by colorful, humorous pictures. The major themes are democracy and elections. Its reference aids include a table of contents, glossary and an index. I like how the book provides ways that kids can get involved in the electoral process and that the book includes pictures of men and women of all races running for office.
Kobasa, Paul A., ed. Economics. Chicago: World Book, 2009.
Illustrator: Sandra M. Dyrlund (associate director of graphics and design)
Target audience: 4th-6th grade
Bailey, Gerry, and Felicia Law. Cowries, Coins, Credit: the history of money. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2006.
Illustrators: Mike Phillips and Rosie Brooks
Target audience: 4th-6th grade
Heather's Picks:
Gr 3-6
What sets this book apart from other books on the subject are the photographs taken aboard the Mayflower II, when the replica was sailed from Plymouth to Boston in 2001. The crew and passengers, including children, are dressed like they would have in 1620. They perform many of the tasks that the people on the original voyage would have, like navigating, tending the sick and signing the Mayflower Compact. The text is engaging and accessible without ever sounding condescending. The book also has a map, a list of provisions, a chronology, list of further reading and an Index. Very complete.
Raven, Margot Theis. M is for Mayflower: A Massachusetts Alphabet, illustrated by Jeannie Brett. Chelsea, MI: Sleeping Bear Press, 2002.
Gr 2-6
Wilkinson, Philip. Building, photographed by Dave King and Geoff Dann. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2000.
Gr 4- Adult!